Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler won the season-opening Players Championship event, hitting nine darters in his competitive debut.
After a nine-dart finish against Michele Turetta in the early rounds, the 17-year-old Littler defeated Ryan Searle 8-7 in a thrilling final. Despite Searle leading by an average of 111.71 to 109.64, Littler won the final in Wigan, taking home a £15,000 first prize and his first PDC Pro Tour ranking title.
“I know my game is out there, and I know I can beat anyone. I’m really happy that I won,” said Littler, who qualified for his first Pro Tour by reaching the World Championship finals at the beginning of the year. Ta. card.
“Me and my manager know what we have to do to qualify for the World Match Play and the World Grand Prix,” Littler added. “I want to try everything and qualify, and then I just have to play my game. I’m taking it at my own pace. There’s not a lot of pressure anymore, but now I’m just going to calm down and enjoy it. I hope I can.”
Littler hit another nine darters to win the Bahrain Masters and reached the final of January’s Netherlands Masters, which will move him into the top 30 on the PDC’s Order of Merit. Warrington’s players also performed well in the Premier League, reaching the semi-finals and final in the first two matches played in Cardiff and Berlin.
‘The Nuke’ won with nine darters on Monday, defeating Italy’s Turetta 6-1, Jim Williams 6-1 and Luke Woodhouse 6-3. Littler then defeated Cameron Menzies 6-2, James Harrell 6-3 in the quarter-finals and Alan Souter 7-6 in the semi-finals, setting up a final against world No. 20 Searle. did.
Meanwhile, Gerwyn Price withdrew midway through his third round match against Brendan Dolan, complaining about the “absolutely pathetic circumstances” of the fight. In the best-of-11 match at the Robin Park Tennis Center, Price withdrew from the match when he was trailing 4-2 in sets.
The former world champion later posted on Instagram: “It’s a really pathetic situation. I came all the way to Wigan to play in a professional game and now I have to play in conditions below amateur level.”
“I’ve never given up on the game. Well, I’m out tomorrow too,” added the Welshman. “Today’s game was really good and I was relying on events like this so much so I was disappointed.” The second Players Championship event of the season will be held at the same venue on Tuesday.
A PDC spokesperson said: “Gerwin decided not to complete his match against Brendan Dolan and immediately left the venue.” “I understand that he felt the venue was cold.”
